This invention relates generally to a beveled clasp, formed of complementary shaped male and female members, that interfit together, and are secured in their retention through the generation of capillary and frictional forces that hold the members together during clasping.
A large variety of clasps have been made available in the art, and such clasps can be used for a variety of purposes, for application in industrial settings for holding two parts together, but more particularly, such clasps are frequently used in the jewelry art, for holding the ends of necklaces, wrist bands, and other items together. Mainly, these prior art style of clasps either use some form of detent means, for interlocking the components together, to assure their retention, but separation of these type of components frequently becomes difficult, particularly for the physically impaired, such as the handicapped, who may be suffering from an arthritic condition, multiple sclerosis, or other impediments that significantly reduce the dexterity of the user to both apply, or remove, the jewelry during usage.
Examples of the type of prior art as previously alluded to can be seen in the prior art U.S. Pat. No. 5,155,893, to Nussberger, showing a coupling device for use as a clasp or the like. As can be seen, the facility to interengage the shown clasp utilizes the detent concept, where a shoulder formed on one part of the coupling device will engage within a slot provided upon the other part, in order to secure the shank and female component together. This does require a little more effort, and secondly, can be a little difficult in obtaining the separation of the clasp once used.
An example of another prior art clasp is shown in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,364,155, to Synowicki, also upon a jewelry clasp, but in this particular instance, the locking engagement is attained through notch alignment where mechanism is provided to provide a latching of the clasp within the formed notches of one part of the shown clasp. Thus, once again, the detent principle is used to secure the clasp into its interengaging relationship.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,242,778, to Kay, shows a press fit intelligent fastener for random or lightly constrained assembly, but in this particular instance, once again, it is the engagement within the annular cavity of the formed spring biased pawl that secures these complementary components together. Their separation, on the other hand, can entail a little more dexterity, and one that is difficult for the handicapped to achieve.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,184,232, to Marosy, shows another form of coupling, but in this particular instance, the coupling is made through the bayonet lock type of interconnection, which requires pivotal manipulation of the two components for the coupling, to achieve their assembly, and also their separation.
Another U.S. Pat. No. 3,540,091, to Marosy, shows a related style of bayonet lock form of coupling device, for use for holding various items together, such as the shown chain. It is to be noted, though, that all of these prior art style of couplers require some form of spring biased force exerting parts, to achieve their coupling, and which coupling forces must be relieved, in order to achieve their separation.
The U.S. Pat. No. 3,234,615 to Martinez, shows a tensioning connector, which again utilizes a variety of spring biased means for securing their components together.
The U.S. Pat. No. 3,080,633, to Reddy, shows a separable fastener, which again operates upon the spring biased feature, as can be seen for its leaf spring components that engage within the slots formed behind the plunger head of the shown fastener.
Another U.S. Pat. No. 3,286,316, to Marosy, shows a coupling means that utilizes gearing or serrated surfaces to secure the attachment of the shown coupling together.
The U.S. Pat. No. 3,367,000 to Schluter, shows a detachable fastening device, again one which appears to function off of the bayonet lock style of interconnection.
The U.S. Pat. No. 3,470,524, to Culver, shows a push-pull type of connector, which contains a variety of interconnecting components, including one that incorporates a rather comples cam style locking ring, to secure the components of the connector together.
Another U.S. Pat. No. 3,487,512, to Marosy, shows a form of bayonet lock style of interconnection for its disclosed coupling through the usage of a cam like circular disc forming its locking element.
A further U.S. Pat. No. 3,540,087, to Marosy, shows a bullet shaped coupling, likewise interconneced through a bayonet style of engagement, to provide fastening of two components together.
A further U.S. Pat. No. 3,675,499, to Marosy, shows an earlier style of coupling, through a spring biased member.
The U.S. Pat. No. 3,900,927, to D'Angelo, shows a separable fastener, where a T-lock style of interconnection, which is normally spring biased into engagement, can be assembled into a fastener.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,055,057, to Kolman, discloses a coupling device for opposed ends of a bracelet, utilizing a spring biased arcuate link for securing one end of the bracelet to the other.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,216,567, to Heinz, shows a flexible ornamental article and fastener therefor, that appears to operate off the bayonet lock arrangement.
A further U.S. Pat. No. 4,236,283, to Marosy, shows a bayonet style of interconnecting coupling.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,522,541, to Bidwell, shows a stud fastener receptacle.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,679,959, to Cavallaro, shows a quick-connect/disconnct connector, which appears to utilize a ball and socket type of interconnection.
A much more complex locking device is shown in the axial style of locking device set forth in the Barnes U.S. Pat. No. 4,709,454.
A further U.S. Pat. No. 5,095,594, to Marosy, shows a spring lock, again off of the bayonet locking principle, for securing a coupling together.
The U.S. Pat. No. 5,347,696, to Otrusina, shows a quick-release connector.
The U.S. Pat. No. 3,080,633, to Reddy, shows a form of separable fastener, which are linked together by means of spring bias leaf springs.
The essence of the current invention is to alleviate the effort that is required to form a clasping connection between, for example, the ends of jewelry, or other linkage, and which includes no moving component that requires manipulation, or the exertion of any effort, to attain the interconnection of the beveled clasp together, while its separation requires nothing more than a slight brief twist, to achieve its disconnection.